


Malec Oneshots

by thoughtslonglost (AzzyStack)



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-21 00:09:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6030915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzzyStack/pseuds/thoughtslonglost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A one-shot for every letter of the alphabet, I know a lot of people do alphabet series but hey oh well. only a few for now, will continue adding. Couldn't think of a good tittle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Allergy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own either of these beautiful boys or the world they live in. I just own my train of thought.
> 
> Authors Note: Throwing Magnus and Alec into a mundane situation, idea stolen from an episode of How I Met Your Mother

Allergy

Magnus Bane had just gotten back from a gathering of warlocks in Venice, a place he expressed a heavy fondness for and lamented not being able to take Alec there for at least one romantic evening, but Jace, Isabelle and Alec had been closing in on a fairly elusive nest of Ravener demons that they’d been after for weeks. So Magnus had invited Alec to dinner, telling him that it would be very fine dining and that Alec should make every effort to feel like they really were in Venice. Alec felt obliged to comply seeing as it was mostly his fault they hadn’t had dinner in Venice, so he had endured hours of torture after very hesitantly asking for Isabelle’s help, all for the sake of his boyfriend. (Izzy had dragged him around the mall for god knows how long and made him try of half the wares only to leave with only three things.) So here he was in front of Magnus’ building in a tailored black suit, black dress shoes and deep blue shirtsleeves that apparently matched his eyes, whilst he would never tell Isabelle, or Magnus for that matter, he had to admit looking in the mirror on the way out of the Institute, he did look good.

"Alexander dear, if that's you come right up, If it's not, GO THE HELL AWAY!" Magnus' voice came loud and clear through the intercom and Alec couldn't help but laugh. This was one of his lovers ‘charms’ his tendency to violently yell at anybody who even had the slightest inclination of ruining his plans, especially is they involved a date, or anything to do with Alec in general.

 

He ran up the stairs and entered the apartment, finding that all the lounge room furniture had disappeared and in its place sat a small, wooden table with a golden candle stick in the centre, set with fancy blue china plates and matching white cutlery. The room had somehow been made to look as though they were outside and the ceiling shone with a thousand stars, even Alec, in all his awkwardness and ‘social retardation’, as Izzy had called it, could appreciate the romance and just how much Magnus had put into having the perfect night. (he hadn’t even seen the flowers and candles in the bedroom yet.)

 

Magnus walked out of the kitchen in a deep plum coloured suit and stopped at the sight of his boyfriend, looking him up and down and smiling.

“Isabelle has outdone herself hasn’t she” he smirked sauntering the rest of the way over and snaking his arms around his lovers waist.

“Shut up and kiss me already.” Alec replied before he could stop himself, blushing at the sudden boldness in his words.

“Oh, Honey you know I love it when you get all demanding like that.” Magnus teased before kissing him and taking his hand, leading him over to the table. Alec sat down and Magnus dashed off to the kitchen coming back out with two beautifully plated dishes of pasta before taking his own seat on the other side of the table. Meanwhile Alec had time to appreciate just how much Magnus suit hugged his figure in all the right places and how the deep purple and dark makeup set off the vibrant green-gold of his eyes.

"You cooked?" Alec asked giving Magus a suspicious look

"Alexander, I've been around for eight hundred years, of course I can cook!"

"I don't doubt that you can, I just though being a warlock and all, you wouldn't be bothered."

"I'm always bothered to do cheesy romantic things for my gorgeous boyfriend."

Alec blushed and looked down at his plate, Magnus, eager to finish the food and start on… other things, gestured toward the food silently instructing his boyfriend to 'dig-in'

"It's a little recipe I picked up a couple years back. Pasta, obviously, with this beautiful sauce it took me years to perfect but I finally found the secret ingredient, right in the front of my pantry, completely obvious should have figured it out so much earlier, but then again who would have thought of peanut butter sauce!" Alec looked up eyes wide in horror as his airways closed and he passed out in anaphylactic shock. So much for the perfect evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: And thus Magnus discover Alec's peanut allergy.  
> Review, favourite, follow… please…  
> **Also posted on my Wattpad and Fanfiction.net accounts
> 
> PS. I hope the rewrite is better, I mean the first was still alright, but I think this one has a higher standard.


	2. Blush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing but my train of thought, and Sienna, I own her
> 
> Authors note: I do, very much apologise for being a lousy person, my writing phases come and go, and when they do, I have absolutely no idea what story I will be in the mood to write, so once again I apologise and ask that you bear with me.

Blush

Not many people know it, (who is he kidding, everybody knows it) but Magnus loves it when Alec blushes. It’s not just a faint tinge of pink in his cheeks, but a full sailors blush, his entire face flushing a deep crimson that sends an array of naughty images into the Warlocks head as he pictures the vast range of other ways to make his lovers face flush in that way. He first noticed it the day Alec was introduced to a close friend of Magnus’ from the 50’s and fellow Warlock, Sienna.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

Magnus was nervous about Alec meeting Sienna, not because he thought that they wouldn’t like each other, he just worried that Sienna might find a way to scare Alec off, not purposely, but unintentionally. It’s just, Sienna had an extremely loud personality and Alec, Alec was not like that. Alec was quiet and shy and did not like to be noticed, or at least was used to not being noticed, it was a stark contrast to Sienna with her bubble-gum pink hair and loud t-shirts. So when Alec turned up at the apartment unexpectedly whilst Sienna was visiting, Magnus began to panic just a little (actually a lot what is they hated each other and he had to choose between them!!)

Sienna only laughed at him when he voiced his concerns and opened the door to say hi.

“Hi, I’m Sienna, you must be Alec, Magnus has told me so much about you, and I must say, I thought he was overselling, but he really wasn’t, you are one handsome Devil, like, wow!” she said holding up her hair and fanning her face. Magnus dramatically face palmed and Alec simply blushed, well not simply, more like furiously, but it was then that Magnus noticed it looked simply gorgeous on him.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

So Magnus has spent six months noticing every blush, whenever the boy is complemented or feels awkward or when Magnus whispers something even remotely dirty in his ear, and relishes in the perfect sight of his lover’s face heating up and colouring brilliantly. And when Alec blushed insanely at a comment made by yet another one of Magnus’ warlock friends at a party, it took all his self-control not to turn into one of those giggling little schools girls that mundie’s seem to enjoy watching on television. Instead he grabbed Alec by the waist and steered him into the bedroom. His guests could do without them for the time being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: I don’t think this one is as good as what I would have liked, but I was having a really difficult time with anything for the letter B
> 
> PS. The rewrite isn’t particularly fabulous either…


	3. Cats and Chocolate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own no Characters and no Cats.
> 
> Authors Note: this one’s a tad, strange… even with the added section.

Cats and Chocolate

 

Simon stood outside the door of Magnus’ apartment, watching as Clary pressed her stele to the door and began to draw the ‘open’ rune whilst Jace and Izzy ‘kept watch.’ He really needed new friends.

“Somebody, remind me exactly why we’re breaking into your brothers boyfriend’s apartment?”

“To steal his cat, weren’t you listening?” Came Jace’s annoyed reply.

“And why do we need to steal Chairman Meow?

“So that Chairman Meow and Church can make babies and I can have a bunch of adorable little kittens, duh!” Isabelle commented looking at him as if he were stupid.

“But they’re both boys how the hell do they have babies?” Simon asked, he was now massively confused and was asking what he thought was a pretty logical question; however, the others seemed to have tuned him out, he really was questioning his friend’s sanity.

“Got it!” Clary’s excited voice broke through the silence, as she swung the door open and the four of them snuck into the apartment.

“Okay, split up and get searching,” Jace commanded as if they were hunting a demon in an abandoned warehouse.

 

They all began to look through the apartment, until Jace found the Chairman, curled up on the loveseat fast asleep. He picked up the cat and they began to sneak back out, when the Chairman woke up, noticed the change and let out an ear-splitting shriek, clawing at Jace’s arms. Jace instinctively dropped the cat and as it ran of dove onto the ground to catch him before he could find an unreachable place to hide, and was shocked to see that he was staring at a pair of feet. Standing back up he realised that the feet belonged to his adopted brother. It took him several minutes to realise exactly what was off about his brother, he was wearing only his boxers, and his chest was completely covered in what looked to be melted dark chocolate.

 

\---Meanwhile---

 

After four clients, all who had with demon problems, in one day, Magnus Bane was exhausted. He was decided that the following day needed to be relaxing and eventless. That was how Alec found himself sitting in his boxers with his back pressed up against Magnus chest, under the canary yellow comforter, watching a film called _Dead Poets Society_. A bowl of strawberries in one hand and one of melted dark chocolate in the other.

 

Alec was so engrossed in the film that his usual Shadowhunter alertness was so dulled he didn’t notice any sign of disturbance until he heard Chairman Meows shriek and he jumped d violently that he spilt hot melted of bed. chocolate all over his bare chest.

“Shit!” he cursed leaping out of bed.

“I’ll go clean up and check on the Chairman.” He said, leaving the room, only to come face to face with his adopted brother, attempted to steal his boyfriends cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: That’s it :), rewrites got a little more Malec in it.


	4. Death?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: We own basically nothing, Zilch, Zip, Nada.
> 
> Authors Note: Written for Cassandra Clare’s Spoiler Art, an image of Sebastian with the quote “Your boyfriend’s dead, thought you should know.” As we all know, this spoiler turned out very differently, but, oh well.

Dead?

 

“Your boyfriend’s dead, thought you should know.”

Magnus looked at Sebastian, the boy, no, demon had showed up in the middle of central park, smack bang in the middle of the day. Apparently just to tell him this. Magnus heard the words, but the meaning of them didn’t register, he blinked.

“What?”

“You heard me” Sebastian smirked.

It clicked. And Magnus ran. He didn’t know where he was going and it took a moment to realise that he was, in fact, running. It was an instinct, putting one foot in front of the other, he had to find Alec. _HE HAD TO_. He was screaming Alec’s name over and over, the world was crumbling beneath him and nothing mattered anymore, nothing but Alec. He ran through the crowded streets of Brooklyn not caring that he looked like a psycho, not even thinking about his reputation the only think he could think about was Alec, only Alec. They may not be together anymore, but he still loved his Shadowhunter.

He finally reached the institute clambering up the stairs, almost tripping and falling back down. His fists pounded against the doors, begging to be let in. he heard a voice yelling out from the other side of the door.

“Alright, keep your hair on, I’m coming.” He opened the door and froze. Jace. “What’s your business here Warlock?”

“Alec, I need to see Alec.” His words were rushed and he sounded breathless

“No.”

“What, Jace, I need…”

“I will not let you shatter him any more than he already is. I’ve told you, Alec is miserable and seeing you will only make it worse.”

“Jace you don’t understand-”

“I understand perfectly well, Magnus. You’re not seeing him.” He went to close the door, Magnus forced the door open and shoved Jace out of the way he didn’t have time for this.

“Hey!” Jace shouted “Get back here! The Clave will hear about this!” The Warlock was so frantic that he barely remembered to laugh at Jace’s lack of a suitable sarcastic jibe, having to resort to “The Clave will hear about this,” he sounded like Draco Malfoy…in book one.

Magnus wrenched open the elevator and violently jabbed at the buttons, barely able to stand still waiting for it to reach the upper floor. When it had finally stopped he raced out and along the familiar corridor passing the various rooms of other institute residents, he distinctly heard Isabelle calling his name from somewhere behind him. The corridor seemed to stretch on forever but finally, he had reached Alec’s door. He burst in, yelling for Alec. His eyes scanned the room, and Alec was nowhere in sight. The window was open and the sheer curtains were blowing in the wind. There was blood splattered along the window sill and a trail led to Alec’s bed.

 There was a small dagger lying on the bed and blood was surrounding it. Magnus instantly recognised it as one of Alec’s favourites. After all, it was a family heirloom passed down through six generations of Lightwoods. The Magnus had seen the blade its owner had been Gabriel. Magnus remembered Gabriel, very well in fact. He shuddered.

Magnus had a terrible thought that made his stomach churn.

_That’s  Alec’s blood, and there’s a lot of it._

Tears rolled down his cheeks and he felt someone standing behind him. He turned around and Jace was standing in the door frame, a look of anxiety written across his face.

“What happened?”

“Alec… he’s gone.”

“He’s not dead.” Jace replied simply

“HOW DO YOU KNOW?!” Magnus bellowed

“I would’ve felt it, he’s not dead.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know. But we will find him. We have to.” He whispered.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

“You ready?” Magnus said urgently to Jace as he slid the last blade into it holster.

“Yes. Let’s go,” Isabelle, Jace, Clary, Simon and Magnus stepped out of the Institute and went into the garden. Magnus opened the portal and one by one, they stepped though feeling the icy spray of the sea; Alcatraz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Collaboration with footprints on (Wattpad only). After many years the sequel has been written, so look out for Fortress.


	5. Everything Has Changed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Once again I do not own these gorgeous little Nephilim or this fabulous warlock, or Everything Has Changed, these belong to Cassandra Clare, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. 
> 
> Authors Note: this one isn’t really a proper fic, it’s kinda cheating actually, it started as just collecting a few things together and fitting them to a song I happened to be listening to the other day, and I ended up writing massive paragraphs of feels.

Everything Has Changed

_All I knew this morning when I woke_

_Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before._

_And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago_

_Is green eyes and_ freckles _and your smile_

_In the back of my mind making me feel right_

 

_Kaye noticed that the boozy Magnus the Magnificent was watching Alec with a gleam in his catlike eyes. It really was too bad Alec seemed too sunk in gloom to notice._

The first time Magnus noticed Alec, Alec wasn’t even paying attention. Like he always was on those days, the days before Clary and Valentine and the War, he was too busy with Jace. The perfect Golden Boy with all the charm of a prince and all the arrogance of, well let’s face it, no one’s as arrogant as Jace Wayland. But, Jace was the bad boy that no parent wanted their child to date and Alec was the shy, unsure one that preferred to hide in the shadows and Jace, it seemed, had no problem letting him stay there. Magnus thought that a boy that insecure, yet that gorgeous needed to be reminded he was beautiful every single day, Magnus would be the one to do that, if he ever got a chance. Magnus wouldn’t remember any of this internal monologue when he woke up with a crushing hangover the next morning, but that boys blue eyes stayed in the back of his mind.

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you, know you, know you_

_“I’d say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it wasn’t. Not that you aren’t all fairly charming, and as for you-” He dropped a glittery wink at Alec, who looked astounded. “Call me?”_

_Alec blushed and stuttered and probably would have stood there all night if Jace hadn’t grasped his elbow and hauled him toward the door, Isabelle at their heels._

_The First time they met, properly that is, Alec did in fact notice the Warlock. He was still undoubtedly in love, or rather infatuated, with Jace but Magnus had made him blush and stutter and that crimson flush that crept up his face was so cute and endearing and Magnus wanted to be the one who made it happen over and over again. He wasn’t quite sure why he’d told the boy to call him but he felt the strong urge to know this boy better than anyone ever had, he wanted to be the only person to know the real Alec lightwood, the one that hid in the oversized shadow cast by Jace Wayland and his massively enlarged ego._

 

_'Cause all I know is we said, "Hello."_

_And your eyes look like coming home_

_All I know is a simple name_

_Everything has changed_

_All I know is you held the door_

_You'll be mine and I'll be yours_

_All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

_Alec took a deep breath and let it out. Well, he’d come this far; he might as well go on. The bare light bulb hanging overhead cast sweeping shadows as he reached forward and pressed the buzzer._

_A moment later a voice echoed through the stairwell. “WHO CALLS UPON THE HIGH WARLOCK?”_

_“Er,” Alec said. “It’s me. I mean, Alec. Alec Lightwood.”_

Everything seemed to be changing, ever since Magnus had told him to call and then saved his life, there had been something compelling him to see the Warlock. Alec loved Jace, he’d known that for years or at least he’d thought he’d know that, but somehow the eyes that now looked like home where green-gold and catlike instead of golden-brown. Alec knew he was being irrational, all he really knew was Magnus name and yet somehow, almost overnight, everything had changed.

 

_And all my walls stood tall painted blue_

_And I'll take them down, take them down and open up the door for you_

_And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies_

_The beautiful kind, making up for lost time,_

_Taking flight, making me feel right_

_Alec had his arms around Magnus and was kissing him, full on the mouth. Magnus, who appeared to be in a state of shock, stood frozen._

Alec had walls built up around him like a fortress that both kept him safe and held him back from the world. Jace had been right, he thought he loved Jace because it was safe, with Jace, Alec had known nothing would ever happen and he’d be safe from heartbreak and from judgement, but Magnus made him feel differently. Magnus made him see how staying safe meant hiding away and he’d end up missing out on so much of life and regretting his choices. Magnus made him want to tear down the walls because he’d started to love the feeling of butterflies that Magnus gave him whenever they were in the room together and after Clary’s little rune demonstration he knew this felt right, so he smashed straight through those walls and kissed Magnus full on the mouth in the middle of the hall filled with every one he knew and everything he feared.

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you, know you, know you_

_"Still I pictured having you for fifty, sixty more years. I thought I might be ready then to let you go. But it's you, and I realize now that I won't be anymore ready to lose you then than I am right now. Which is not at all."_

Magnus couldn’t bear the thought of losing Alec and hated that Alec thought himself trivial in his eyes. Yes he’d had lovers in the past but that didn’t mean each and every one of them didn’t mean something to him, and it had hurt when he’d lost each and every one of them. But Alec was different, with Alec it was harder. Magnus couldn’t stand to think about the fact that he was immortal and Alec was not. Alec was human with a lifespan of maybe eighty of ninety years, scratch that, Alec was a Shadowhunter and how many Shadowhunters lived past thirty? Especially with parabatai like Jace Herondale, and Magnus would live maybe a hundred more years, maybe five hundred, maybe a thousand, he didn’t know. But he knew that right know he wanted to know every little thing about Alec Lightwood, he wanted to memorise the faded rune marks and battle scars, to recall the rare sound of his laugh when things looked dark, know how to make the boys smile and blush. He wanted to know Alec Lightwood better than himself because if those thousand years did pass and Magnus lived that long without the man he loved more than anything, he wanted to remember every last detail, for eternity.

_'Cause all I know is we said, "Hello."_

_And your eyes look like coming home_

_All I know is a simple name_

_Everything has changed_

_All I know is you held the door_

_And you'll be mine and I'll be yours_

_All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

_“Instead of replying, Alec reached down and took Magnus's hands. Magnus let Alec pull him to his feet, a questioning look in his eyes. Before he could say anything, Alec drew him closer and kissed him. Magnus made a soft, pleased sound, and gripped the back of Alec's shirt, rucking it up, his fingers cool on Alec's spine. Alec leaned into him, pinning Magnus between the table and his own body. Not that Magnus seemed to mind._ _  
'Come on,' Alec said against Magnus's ear. 'It's late. Let's go to bed.”_

Things had definitely changed for both Alec and Magnus since that party so long ago, yet it felt, for both of them like it had been yesterday, like they’d fallen in love overnight and everything was stuck in that perfect honey moon phase, it wasn’t perfect, they both knew that, but still, it was like all of a sudden they had become each other’s home. Suddenly they had ceased to be Alec, and Magnus and had become Alec and Magnus. And as Alec pressed Magnus back against the table kissing him with so much passion and love Magnus mused on the fact that, yes Alec was his and he was Alec’s.

_Come back and tell me why_

_I'm feeling like I've missed you all this time, oh, oh, oh._

_And meet me there tonight_

_And let me know that it's not all in my mind._

_Magnus placed the phone next to him and sat for a moment, still enough to hear himself breathing._ I’m losing him _, he thought_. I don’t know how or why, but I know that I am.

 

Mere months later and Magnus knew he was losing him. Magnus knew, probably better than anyone, the emotional anatomy of a relationship breakdown. He had seen it multiple times, had experienced it more than he would care to admit. He should have known better than to fall for a Shadowhunter, nothing could ever be simple with them, but as clichéd as it sounds, the heart wants what the heart wants. He couldn’t help, in his weakest moments, but think that maybe he’d made it all up, maybe it was all in his head and Alec hadn’t felt the way he thought he did, but he wouldn’t entertain thoughts like that, he couldn’t, it hurt too much. He just sometimes wished Alec would turn up unexpectedly and kiss him senseless and he would know that it was real, that it had always been real.

I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now

I just wanna know you, know you, know you

 

“ _Tell me more,” Alec said, pacing up and down the concrete floor of the abandoned subway station at City Hall. “I need to know.”…_

_“Am I different?” Alec said. “Is there any way he loves me that is different than the ways he’s loved before?”_

Alec couldn’t stand being in the dark like this any longer. He wanted to know Magnus Bane inside and out, the way Magnus knew him. He knew he wasn’t Magnus’ only lover, but he wanted to feel like he was the only one who truly knew Magnus Bane, who knew his deepest fears and darkest secrets. He knew coming to Camille was stupid and reckless, but he was desperate, he just wanted to know him better.

All I know is we said, "Hello."

And your eyes look like coming home

All I know is a simple name

Everything has changed

All I know is you held the door

You'll be mine and I'll be yours

All I know since yesterday is everything has changed

 

_Softly, Magnus said, “Aku cinta kamu.”_

_“What does that mean?”_

_Magnus disentangled himself from Alec’s grip, “It means I love you. Not that it changes anything.”_

In that moment, “Call me” stopped being “Hello”, they stopped finding home in each other’s eyes, each other’s name became pain instead of happiness, doors stopped being held, Alec was no longer Magnus’ and Magnus was no longer Alec’s. In that moment, everything had changed

_All I know is we said, "Hello."_

_So dust off your highest hopes_

_All I know is pouring rain and everything has changed_

_All I know is a new found grace_

_All my days I'll know your face_

_All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: there it is; I really don’t know how I feel about it…


	6. Fortress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I, as usual, own nothing.
> 
> Authors Note: Any OOC actions or behaviours for this fic are intentional and will be explained.

Fortress

 

The bitter San Francisco wind whipped around them merging with the sea water to create vicious black waves that slammed against the jagged rocks of Alcatraz spraying Magnus, Jace, Isabelle, Simon and Clary with cold water and chilling them to the bone. Something seemed off to Magnus, Alcatraz seemed so cliché and the whole situation just seemed so un-Sebastian.

“Let’s just find my brother and get out of here!” Isabelle demanded through chattering teeth.

“Where do we start?” Clary asked sounding uncharacteristically hopeless.

“I say we follow the smell.” Magnus answered trying to sound dignified but losing it in a mix of fear and repulsion.

“What sme-oh.” Jace had sniffed the air and regretted it instantly. The usual pleasantly salty sent of ocean spray had been overpowered by the rank stench of demons. “I think I agree with the Warlock on this one.”

 

They had barely taken a step when Sebastian seemed to materialise out of nowhere, smirking.

“What have you done with my brother?” Isabelle yelled at him but he only faded into the mist. _Things definitely weren’t adding up_ , Magnus thought and with Jace’s ten-year-old comeback earlier, Clary’s gloom and Isabelle apparent fear, when she would normally be furious and race into combat without thinking if Alec was in danger, everyone just seemed a little out of character, but he would dwell on that once they’d found Alec.

“Inside the prison then?” Simon asked.

“Yeah. Let’s go.” Jace answered leading the way inside. The five of them entered the prison and the door slammed shut behind them, throwing them into darkness. Jace, Clary and Isabelle all withdrew their witchlights. They lit up illuminating the corridor and several of them, Magnus couldn’t tell which ones, audibly gasped. Magnus had never actually been inside Alcatraz, but he was certain it didn’t look like this. Before them stretched a long stone passageway with a single door at the very end. The walls were covered in moss and water dripped from several places along the ceiling. The place was eerily silent, other than those drips and the sounds of the groups heavy breathing.

“Come on.” Jace led the way up the passage and they walked for at least a quarter of an hour before Isabelle halted them all with a huff.

“We haven’t gotten any closer to the door!” She exclaimed. The rest of them now realised that she was right. As far as they now where from the entrance, they were still just as far from the end of the corridor as they were when they started.

“It has to be some kind of spell.” Jace said simply, looking to Magnus to provide an answer.

“Not one I’ve ever heard of and certainly not one Sebastian could perform without some kind of serious power source.”

“So what do we do?” Clary asked, panicked. Magnus wracked his brain for an answer and came up short, until, that is, he heard a voice, quiet and echoing as though it was coming to him from very far away.

“Visualise it Magnus. Believe you can walk through the door and you will.” He closed his eyes with determination and took several steps forward, somehow he knew the voice was right, he knew he would find Alec behind that door. He opened his eyes again and saw the door just a few steps ahead of him. He looked over his shoulder, the others had disappeared and he knew now, that something was definitely off because four people didn’t just disappear, but he still turned back and pushed the door open. Ahead of him was nothing but white mist, he stepped into it and felt an intense burning pain in his stomach as a sword was thrust through the mist and straight through him. And then he blacked out.

 

To be continued…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: what do you think? Do you know what’s going on? What happened to Magnus? I promise there won’t be as much time between 2 and 3 as there was between 1 and 2.


	7. Ghosts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over The Mortal Instruments or Buffy, unfortunately :(
> 
> Authors Note: Ghosts is an appropriation of the Buffy episode I Only Have Eyes For You, as I saw some cool parallels. Whilst not 100% Malec, the most important scenes are Malec and its very Alec dealing with the breakup. I hope you like it. Because it’s based on a TV episode the P.O.V is a little wacked.

Ghosts

 

The music pulsed loudly through Pandemonium. The club was notoriously known for gathering an interesting mix of Mundies, Downworlders and Shadowhunters, teen and adults alike. Isabelle Lightwood  and Maia Roberts were to be found in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by mundane boys, (their boyfriend’s Simon Lewis and Jordan Kyle being at the high school with their band to practice for the upcoming Sadie Hawkins Dance), whilst Clary Fray sat at a table in the back with her slightly distracted boyfriend, Jace Herondale, who, whilst she knew was in love with her and usually attentive, kept distractedly sending worried looks towards his parabatai Alexander Lightwood, who stood against the wall at the back of the back of the club looking decidedly glooming.

 

Alec didn’t really want to be here. He would much rather be out fighting demons and hunting Sebastian or Jonathan or whatever his name was, but Izzy had said that that was the unhealthy Jace method of mending a broken heart and that the healthier Izzy method, was to go out and have fun.

“Hey, you alright? You look a little glum.” A guy, a cute guy, Alec let himself think, had come to lean against the wall beside him.

“I’m good, this just isn’t really my scene.”

“Really? That’s too bad. We could always get out of here?” The guy raised an eyebrow and Alec would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted, maybe in another time he would have said yes, but…

“That in theory sounds great, but I’m not dating anyone, possibly ever again.”

“Oh, well that’s too bad, if you change your mind-”

“I won’t.”

“Okay, well, I better…” The guy stepped away from the wall and melted into the large crowd. Alec chose to leave then, deciding it was about time he went home, where he could brood uninterrupted.

 

“You bailing?” Jace had come over, apparently after seeing him move towards the exit.

“Yeah, I might shoot for a while and then sack it.” Alec answered.

“You’ve been doing that a lot, shooting and sacking.” Clary told him over Jace’s shoulder.

“I have fun; I came tonight didn’t I?” He asked looking at her imperiously.

“You came, you saw, you rejected. And he was cute Alec… for a mundane.” Clary replied in the mocking tone she always used when she referenced the way he used to refer to her as ‘the mundane.’ “Maybe Izzy’s right, maybe you need to date, try being impulsive.”

“Last time I was impulsive I made the worst decision of my life, secretly met with my boyfriend’s psychotic vampire ex-girlfriend, considered taking away said boyfriend’s immortality and acted like a complete ass. My next impulsive move is going to be saved for demon hunting.” Knowing they had been defeated Jace and Clary allowed him to leave, exchanging worried glances as he did.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

The girl ran around the corner and into the next hall, as her boyfriend called out after her.

“Come back here! We're not finished!” The boy grabs her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “You don't care anymore? Is that it?” tears begin to slip down her face as she answered him, as though it is too painful for her to say it.  
“It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel-“

“Then tell me you don't love me.” She stayed silent and he shook her violently yelling at her to answer him “Say it!”

“Will that help? Is that what you have to hear? I don't. I don't. Now let me go!” She tried to yank her arm away but was unable to break his grasp as he clung on not believing her.

“No... A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody.” He used his other hand to pull an old fifties style revolver from the pocket of his jeans, angry and scared and so in love that he’d do anything. The girl’s eyes widened in horror and she struggled again, trying desperately to break free of his grasp.

“Love is forever. I'm not afraid to use it. I swear. If I can't be with you- “

“Oh my God-“ She managed to push him away from her and made a break toward a door that led out to the balcony and into the courtyard “No! Please!-“ He ran after her and raised the gun to fire.  
“Don't walk away from me, bitch!-“

“Hey! Leave her alone!” Jordan Kyle rounded the corner from a corridor to the right and made for the boy with the gun. The werewolf ran runs at the boy, knocking him to the ground, causing the gun to slide out of his grip, skittering down the hall and vanishing from sight. Simon came running up the same corridor and moved over to the girl, still crying. The boy blinked around as if suddenly awakened from a trance.

“What happened?”

“What happened? You just tried to shoot your girlfriend Jack!” Simon yelled, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing Jack and Cara had been together since 7th grade.

“This is nuts... I don't know why I - I got so mad...”  
“Because you're a jerk?” Jordan says, still pinning Jack to the floor.  
“He's not. We weren't even fighting a few minutes ago.” Cara said, equally as confused as Jack.  
“We weren't. I swear to God...”  
“If you weren't fighting - why did you have a gun?” Jordan asked disbelieving.  
“I don't know. I - I don't even know where I got it”

“I don't see any gun.” Simon said scanning the floor and then exchanging a baffled look with Jordan.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

The following morning, as it was a Sunday and the school would be closed, Simon and Jordan enlisted the help of Izzy, Maia, Clary, Jace and Alec to investigate the school.

“Have you ever thought that he was faking it and is actually a giant dick?” Jace asked, irritated that the vampire was wasting his time.

“I know Jack,” Clary began, still unsure of what Simon and Jordan reported happening, “he isn’t like that.”

“If you say so…” Clary knew Jace was still sceptical, but he had agreed to help so neither Clary nor Simon was going to argue.

“Split up and investigate?” Maia asked, “It’s a big school and I don’t fancy being here all day.”

“Yeah sure, the corridors fork off ahead so we can just branch off.” Clary answered.

 

After breaking off from the group Alec found himself in a short corridor with only three classrooms to check. He walked into the first checking for the usual signs of Demon, Downworlder or Spirit activity, it yielded nothing interesting, nor did the second. However, during his investigation of the third classroom in the corridor, he felt something off, like a sudden change in the air, and found himself suddenly surrounded by people, who had apparently materialised out of nowhere. In front of him, two girls were giggling over a flyer promoting the 1955 Sadie Hawkins Dance.

“I told Mrs. Hall we'd go help decorate the gym. Who are you taking?” One of the girls asked.

“David said yes.” The second answered

“You're kidding! He's so dreamy.” The two girls ran out of the room giggling and Alec turned his attention to the only two people left in the room, a handsome teenage boy in one of those sport jackets and a pretty, young teacher. The boy handed her a paper and their hands touched briefly as she took it from him.

“Thank you, James. How are you enjoying that book I loaned you? The Hemmingway?” She asked somewhat awkwardly  
“I like it. Very much.” He answered simply, touching her hand again and moving closer. “It's honest.”

“I... Yes. It's based on a true story, actually. He fell in love with his-” She broke of as the door began to open and they quickly pulled away from each other. The two figures dissolved and Alec was alone again in the classroom. He blinked twice, confused as to what the hell was going on in this school and set off to go and find the others again.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

 “I’m telling you there’s definitely some kind of ghost activity.” Alec said after telling the others about what had happened in the classroom.

“Yeah, I was in the principal’s office and this Yearbook pulled itself of the shelf and onto the floor” Izzy said.

“I tried to steal a bag of chips from the cafeteria and all of a sudden I was surrounded by snakes, and the chips were snakes!!” Jordan exclaimed, clearly horrified that he had almost eaten a snake.

“I haven’t seen anything weird.” Jace said simply.

“Yeah me neither.” Clary added.

“Well,” Simon began, “weird flashback things, snake food, self-unshelving books, I’d say that counts as weird.” He said opening one of the lockers lining the walls. “Eric still has my super smash bros game.” He said in answer their questioning looks. He pulled open the locker and a decaying arm seized the neck of his shirt and began pulling him into the locker. He freaked and started scrabbling to get away while Alec, Jace and Jordan grabbed onto to him and pulled. Clary finally slammed the locker door shut on the arm and it let go. When they opened the locker again, the hand was no longer there. Simon grabbed his game and the seven teenagers quickly left for the institute, this situation called for a better explanation.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

“It definitely sounds like you’re dealing with a restless spirit of some kind” Luke was saying as they sat in the institutes library several hours later.

“Poltergeists are actually real? That is so awesome.” Simon said smiling at Clary like his birthday had just come early.

“No Simon, not cool, annoying.” Isabelle corrected rolling her eyes.

“So why is it here and what does it want?” Clary asked the room at large.

“It doesn't know exactly what it wants. That's the problem. A spirit could be plagued by all kinds of troubles. But, being dead, it has no way to resolve them. So it lashes out, growing more confused, more angry...”  
“You seem to be a bit of an expert there Luke.” Jordan observed.  
“I’m not an expert, I just have a lot of time to read.”

“What can we do? Is there any way to stop it?” Clary steered them back on topic

“You would have to figure out what unresolved issues are keeping the spirit here and resolve them.” Mayrse Lightwood answered her, looking up from the files on her desk for the first time since the teenagers had entered the institute.  
“If only we could find out who this spirit is. Or... was.” Jocelyn said looking thoughtful, Mayrse seemed to have had a thought and got up, promptly leaving the room without any further conversation.

“Nice of you to share your thoughts with the class.” Jace said under his breath staring out after her.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

Late that Sunday night a teacher entered the school hoping to grade some papers whilst she had some free time, on the way in she passed one of the school’s janitors, smiling kindly to him as she did so.

 

Three hours later the teacher emerged from the classroom to leave, running into that same janitor, mopping the corridor outside her classroom.

“Still working, Miss Frank?” he asks politely.

“It's my fault. Let myself get behind. Is it okay to walk here, George? It is... George, right?”  
“Yes, ma'am. You go ahead.”

 “Thanks. You have a nice evening.”  
“You too. Drive safe.” Miss Frank begins to walk away down the hall and George goes back to his mopping. Everything was fine for a moment, before he put down the mop and looked up.

“Oh, Miss Frank?” She stopped and turned back towards him

“Yes?” The air seemed to change, Miss Frank and George both changing with it, as if placed under a sudden spell.  
“You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over.” He spat in anger.

“There's no way we can be together. No way people will ever understand, accept it-“

 “Is that what this is about? What other people think?” he seemed, if possible to get even angrier.

“No! I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that - don't you see?” She pleaded with him, begging him to understand.

“I don't give a damn about a normal life. I'm going crazy, not seeing you. I think about you every minute-“

“I know. But... It's over. It has to be.” She ran around the corner and in to another corridor and he followed calling after her.

“Come back here! We're not finished!” He grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “You don't care anymore? Is that it?” Tears began to slip down her face as she answered him, as though it was too painful for her to say it.  
“It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel-“

“Then tell me you don't love me.” She remained silent and he shook her violently yelling at her to answer him “Say it!”

“Will that help? Is that what you have to hear? I don't. I don't. Now let me go!” She tried to yank her arm away but was unable to break his grasp as he clung on not believing her.

“No... A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody.” George used his free hand to pull out an old gun from the pocket of his jeans, angry and scared and so in love that he’d do anything. Miss Frank’s eyes widened in horror and she struggled again, trying desperately to break free of his grasp.

“Love is forever…”

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

Mayrse Lightwood was walking around the high school, a book on communicating with the dead in her hands. She heard a whispery voice in the otherwise silent school and stopped reading, looking around the room for any sign that she was not alone.

“… I need you…” The voice is soft sounding and anyone in their right mind would immediately link it with a woman, but Mayrse is not in her right mind, at least, not tonight.

“Max?” She asked hopefully walking in the direction the voice seemed to have come from. She walked into the next hallway and heard a muffled argument coming from the outside balcony, through the glass door she could see a woman standing with her back against the railing, a man in a janitor’s uniform standing between her and the door

“Let's both... just calm down. Give me the gun.” The woman had tears in her eyes and Mayrse’s years of Shadowhunter training kicked in at the mention of a weapon.

“Don't! Don't do that, damn it!” Mayrse registers the anger in the Janitors voice, threat. “Don't talk to me like I'm some dumb-” There is a deafening blast and the woman looked down at her chest before falling over the railing, Mayrse had no doubt that she was dead. The panicked janitor ran back into the school and Mayrse charges forward knocking him to the ground, the gun skidded across the linoleum and vanished. Then, like the boy the previous night, the Janitor seemed to awake from a trance, confused.  
“What - what's going on?”  
“What's going on?! You just shot a woman!”

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

“It was just like what Simon and Jordan were saying the other night. The janitor remembered the argument and killing this poor woman but he had no idea why, he barely knew her, had nothing against her and the gun just vanished as soon as he let go of it.” Mayrse told Luke, Jocelyn and the kids back in the institute library the following morning.

“So definitely a ghost then, probably a pretty violent death too given the strange phenomena surrounding the school.” Luke said.

“I think…” Mayrse trailed of as though having an internal argument.

“Mom?” Alec prompted.

“I think it’s Max.” She was met with silence. “He was murdered, and I’ve been so busy with everything else and this is his only way to try and get my attention, I’m his mother I should have been there for him.” There was a long pause and when Alec spoke again there were tears in his eyes and his voice sounded strained.

“Mum, it can’t be Max. He didn’t die at the school and Sebastian didn’t shoot him.”

“That doesn’t matter. It's the violence of the thing that matters.”

“I don't know. It seems like the fights these couples keep having are sort of... specific. You know?” Clary prompted tentatively.

She's right, mom. The gun, the place... It's like a pattern that doesn't fit with-“ Alec paused and sucked in a breathe, obviously trying to hide his pain from his mother and now sobbing sister. “it doesn’t fit with the way Max died.” He stopped speaking and squeezed his eyes shut feeling the comforting presence of his parabatai grabbing hold of his hand.

“I appreciate your thoughts on the matter, but being a great deal older and wiser, I am quite certain I know what I’m talking about.” She replied curtly and marched out of the room yet again.

“Great. Glad to know we have this open line of communication.” Jace muttered irritably

 

“I’ve never seen mom like this before” Izzy said sitting down on one of the rooms lounges.

“She hasn’t allowed herself to grieve yet and this is how she’s coping, creating echoes of Max that aren’t there, I used to do it with my son, when I though Valentine had killed him.” Jocelyn said softly hoping to provide some sort of comfort to the remaining Lightwood children.

“Then we need to sort out this ghost thing stat.” Maia said resolutely squeezing Izzy’s shoulder. Despite initial tensions over the thing with Simon, the two had become friends in recent weeks. “Can we do a search for shootings at the High School?”

“Yeah, let me just…” Simon trailed off as he booted up the computer on the desk and loaded the internet browser, typing into the search box.

“What do we know?” Clary asked peering over his shoulder.

“It says here that a student murdered a teacher on the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance. The rumour was that they were having an affair and she tried to break it off. After he killed her, he went into the music room and shot himself.” Simon answered.

“And you have your poltergeist.” Luke told them. “Do you need a hand with it?”

“No there’s seven of us so I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Clary said giving him and her mother a reassuring smile.

“Clary” Simon said suddenly alarmed. “The Saddie Hawkins dance is tomorrow night.”

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

The seven teens spent the next several hours going through books and internet sites searching for answers. About two hours in Izzy had disappeared saying she had something she needed to do and forty-five minutes later still hadn’t returned.

“Where the hell is Izzy?” Jace groaned throwing down his book.

“No clue.” Alec said curtly.

“She just took off so she didn’t have to do the research didn’t she?” Jordan asked.

“No I did not.” Isabelle said indignantly marching into the room and slamming a 1955 Yearbook on the desk.

“A Yearbook?” Jace asked.

“This is the year book that ‘un-shelved’ itself at the school yesterday.” She flipped to one of the back pages and pointed to a picture of a young woman. “They have an in Memoriam for the teacher Grace Newman.”

“That was the woman I saw in that classroom at the school.” Alec told them looking at the picture.

“So who was the guy?” Clary asked, Isabelle flipped through the pages and pointed at a photo captioned James Stanley.

“That was definitely him.” Alec affirmed, “He couldn’t make her love him, so he killed her.”

“He looks so normal in his picture. He was smart, too. He made the honour role.” Simon said reading the details in the yearbook.

“Smart?” Maia asked sceptically.  
“He killed a person and then he killed himself. Those are pretty much the two dumbest things you can do.” Jordan added.

“I know, but... don't you feel kind of bad for them?” Clary said sadly. There was a very pregnant pause before Izzy spoke again.

“Whose ghost do you think we're dealing with? His or hers?”

“Considering how violent it is, I'd say it's his.” Jace answered.

“Maybe If we keep researching we can find a way to communicate with him. Find out what he wants.” Simon suggested, turning back to the computer.  
“Who cares what he wants? We gotta shut him down before some other innocent guy shoots some nice girl and blows his brains all over the music room wall.” Alec said irritably going back to the book he was looking at earlier. The others stared after him shocked at the way he was acting.

 

Several hours later, they emerged from their reading yet again as Simon started speaking.

“Okay, so we’re scraping the plan to talk to the ghost it’s too violent. Alec’s right the time for touchy-feely communication has passed, we only have one option,” he paused for dramatic effect, “exorcism.”

“That’s so cool.” Clary said perking up with excitement.  “What do we do?” Simon turned the monitor around to show a floorplan of the school and started explaining.

“Okay. See here? The balcony? That's where the original teacher was shot back in 1955 and where Miss Frank died. It's the hot spot where all the bad mojo is coming from. We need to create a Mangus Tripod- One person chants here, in the hot spot, and the other three people chant in other areas of the school - making a triangle. It's supposed to  
bind the bad spirit. Stop it from doing more harm.”

“I'll take the hot spot. If there's real trouble, it'll probably be there. The rest of you can pair up and take the other three spots.” Alec said getting up to go find his gear.

“Why would the one non-partner person take the worst spot?” Simon asked.

“Because I’m the oldest and if you guys get hurt, mum’s going to kill me.” He said with a finality that told them this wasn’t open for discussion.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

“Okay, we all know where we have to be, so we just light candle and chant at exactly midnight.” Simon reminded them all of the plan as they stood in front of the school ready to enter.

“So, what if this thing doesn’t work?” Maia voiced the question on everybody’s minds.

“We run screaming like babies?” He suggested.

“Fair enough, let’s do it.” Izzy said with fierce determination. The teens entered the school with that same determination, but it did not last long. With a series of echoing booms every exit was slammed shut, effectively trapping them in the building.

“Well, guess there’s no turning back then.” Clary said in falsely cheery voice.

“Guess not. We better get to it.” Alec told them simply.

 

Isabelle and Simon were to stand in the teacher’s lounge. The walk towards the lounge through the eerily silent halls was tense and they kept close together watching for any sign of poltergeist activity. They had very nearly made it to the place they had to be when they heard the bang of a door opening in front of them. They both jumped and Simon let out a, very manly, squeal.

“Isabelle, Simon! What are you doing here?” Mayrse Lightwood scolded from the recently opened door.

“Us? What about you?” Isabelle spoke back incredulously.

“Yes, well. I'm trying to -- I think I'm close to contacting Max. You should hurry up and get out of here, there may be some paranormal phenomena if I make contact -- you don't want to get in the line of fire.”

“Okay, Night.” Isabelle said walking off towards the necessary location just ahead, Simon trailing along behind her. When they finally reached their spot Isabelle set up the candle and checked her watch noting that it was five to midnight. She stood back up preparing herself for whatever this poltergeist had planned, when something grabbed hold of her leg and pulled. She looked down to see a decaying blue hand pulling her into the floor as though it were quicksand and she screamed.

“Simon!” He saw Isabelle sinking into the floor and grabbed hold of her arms and pulled as hard as he could, yelling uselessly at the hand pulling Isabelle. Mayrse hearing the screams rushed out of the classroom she was in and raced to her daughter helping Simon to pull her back out of the floor. Once they had managed it the three of them collapsed to the floor, panting.

“Mom,” Isabelle whispers breathlessly “Max could never be this mean.”

“I know I – it’s not him is it?”

“I’m sorry mom.”

“It’s okay baby, we’re okay.”

 

Clary and Simon had been given a girl’s bathroom in another section of the school. The room was cold and dark and gave both of them the creeps, although Jace would never admit it. Clary placed the candle on the sink and checked her watch, five more minutes.

“Is Alec okay?” Clary asked suddenly. “No, Sorry, that was a stupid question of course he isn’t.”  
“I think… it’s been hard, obviously, especially seeing as he came out and practically made half the clave ashamed to be in the same room as him because he loved the guy, and now...”

“Now?”

“Nothing.” Clary new what Jace meant and felt bad for Alec, she knew what it was to need someone to be there and was glad to knew he had Jace. Alec and Clary may not have gotten along at first, but after everything they had been through, she, Simon and the Lightwoods had all become incredibly close. Clary looked back towards the candle and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, the skin on her face was black and decayed, like rotten flesh, and she started to scream. Jace seeing that the reflection was not real immediately grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook his girlfriend.

“Clary! Clary it’s not real, it’s just the poltergeist playing tricks! Clary it’s not real.” Clary stopped screaming and felt her face with her hands, feeling nothing out of the ordinary and buried her face in Jace’s chest for a minute.

“Can we please hurry up and kill this thing.”

 

Over in the Cafeteria Maia and Jordan were staring at a hoard of snakes writhing and twitching on the floor.

“I hate snakes, I hate them.” Jordan said matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, well, I don’t think any sane person like snakes. Let’s just hurry up and get this thing over with.”

“Are you mad at me for something Maia?”

“No, why would I be mad?”

“You just seem a little distant lately.”

“I’m just worried about that message Sebastian left I guess.”

“Yeah I guess. We better light that candle, we’ve only got a few minutes.”

 

Alec was the last to arrive at his assigned spot, having only two minutes to spare, but as he set the candle on the balcony railing, he felt the atmosphere change and was once again accosted by flashbacks of the 1950’s. He saw James Stanley and Grace Newman fighting in the hall, heard the gun shot, saw Miss Newman toppling over the railing, James raising the gun to his head and all the while an old 50’s song kept playing in the background. He clenched his eyes shut for a second and when he opened they saw two decaying hands grab hold of his shirt, coming face to face with James, decayed and dead locking as he hissed through cracked lips;

“GET OUT” And as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone. The school clock began to chime midnight and Alec swore under his breathe lighting his candle.

 

At the four points around the school, the teens lit their candles and began to chant in unison,

"I shall confront and expel all evil out of marrow and bone out of house and home never to come here again." The clock stops chiming and nothing happens for a long moment before a sudden gust of wind whips up blowing out each of the four candles. An ominous buzzing sound picked up around the school and a great swam of wasps began to gather within. Almost in unison the teens (and Mayrse) to the entrance and from the building stopping on the street and staring around at each other, confused, defeated and terrified.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

 “Well then, we’ve established that we are definitely dealing with the spirit of James Stanley?” Maryse asked the seven teenagers on their way back to the institute to regroup.

“Yeah, so what do we do? About James?” Isabelle asked.

“He's obviously reliving the night he died. It's common for a spirit to do this – to keep recreating a tragedy. He's trying to resolve the issues that keep him in limbo. What those are, I'm not entirely-“

“He wants forgiveness.” Alec interrupts.

 “Yes. But when James possesses people they act out exactly what happened that night, so instead he's experiencing a form of purgatory. He's doomed to kill his Miss Newman over and over again – and forgiveness is impossible.”  
“Good. He doesn't deserve it.”

“Alec-” Jace began.  
“To forgive is an act of compassion. It's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it.” Clary said imploringly.  
“No. James destroyed the person he loved the most in a moment of blind passion. And that's not something you forgive. No matter why he did what he did. No matter if he knows that it was wrong and stupid and selfish. He's just going to have to live with it...” Now they’d really hit the issue Jace thought, now they knew why Alec was acting so irritably, because he identified with James, they’d both hurt the people they loved and Alec had hit the stage where he didn’t believe he deserved Magnus forgiveness.  
“He can't live with it, Alec. He's dead.” Simon stated. They were at the instituted by now and Alec stalked up the steps and inside without saying another word.

“Okay... over-identify much?” Maia asked, as Alec’s mother and siblings exchanged worried glances.

 

Inside his bedroom at the institute Alec puts his hand inside his jacket pocket pulling out a folded piece of paper that had not been there before. He unfolded it and realized it was the flyer advertising the 1955 Sadie Hawkins Dance that he had seen the two girls giggling over in the classroom. He puts the flyer down, puzzled as to why it’s there and hears a woman’s voice from somewhere far off.

“…I need you.” He felt a sudden calm wash over him and turned and walked straight back out of his room and then out of the institute and towards the school.

 

“So what next? Do we go in again?” Clary asked the others. They were once again in the library, trying to come up with a suitable plan.

“Not now. The spirit is too angry. Too powerful... We need to figure out exactly how, and if, this thing can be defeated...” Mayrse replied.

“I’m gonna go get my angst ridden Parabatai and see if I can sort him out then.” Jace said in a falsely casual tone. Jace followed the many halls to Alec’s room and found it empty. He walked inside and found the flyer sitting on the bed, panicked, he ran back to the library and held out the flyer for the others to see.

“I think he’s going back.”

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

As Alec approached the school the cloud of wasp’s parted to let him through, as though expecting him, wishing him to enter. He walked to the corridor and stopped in the place the fight began, as if waiting for the other party, waiting for the fight to happen.

“Funny thing about wasps, they’ve never really seemed to like me much.” Alec would know that voice anywhere no matter how long it had been since he’d heard it, but he couldn’t bear to turn around and face him.

“You’re the only one. The only person I can talk to.”

“Alexander-”

“You can’t make me disappear just because you say it’s over.” An anger washes over Alec, rage that he hadn’t allowed himself to feel magnified tenfold by James’ presence. Alec was angry, angry because yes he made a mistake but how could Magnus not understand doing something stupid because you’re in love? How could Magnus not even give Alec a chance to explain the insanity of what was going on in his head. Magnus, on the other hand, couldn’t understand what had drawn him here, didn’t know where these words were coming from.

“There’s no way we can be together. No way people will ever understand, accept it-”

“Is that what this is about? What other people think?” rage boils in Alec chest, except this time it is far beyond his own.

“No! I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that – don’t you see?” Magnus is pleading with Alec, whoever these words belonged to, they needed him to understand, to appreciate just how hard the situation is.

“I don’t give a damn about a normal life. I’m going crazy, not seeing you. I think about you every minute-”

“I know. But…it’s over. It has to be.” And Magnus left rushing around the corner and into the next corridor, and like every time it had happened before Alec followed calling after him.

“Come back here! We’re not finished!” He grabbed hold of Magnus arm stopping him from leaving. “You don’t care anymore? Is that it?” Tears began to slip down Magnus cheeks and the parts of them that are still Magnus and Alec recall that day, the last thing Magnus had said, “I love you, not that it matters.”

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what I feel-”

“Then tell me you don’t love me.” Alec was crying now and it had nothing to do with James because it was what Alec needed to hear. When Magnus remained silent Alec shook him and yelled, “Say it!”

“Will that help? Is that what you have to hear? I don’t. I don’t. Now let me go!” Magnus pulled his arm away, but Alec’s grip was strong and he found himself unable to break it.

“No…A person doesn’t just wake up one day and stop loving somebody.” Alec pulled that same old revolver from the pocket of his jeans, where the rational part of his brain knows it had not been moments before. He feels it, that anger and fear and passion that drove James to the edge. “Love is forever. I’m not afraid to use it. I swear, if I can’t be with you-“

“Oh my God-” Magnus finally managed to push Alec away and run towards the balcony door, “No! Please!” Alec ran after him raised the gun.

“Don’t walk away from me, bitch!” Magnus burst through the door onto the balcony, Alec only a step behind him holding the gun in his shaking hands. “Stop! I mean it. Don’t make me.” Magnus turned back toward him, terror etched on his face.

“All right, Just…You know you don’t want to do this. Lets’s both just calm down. Give me the gun.” The part that is still Alec knows Magnus is right, knows he doesn’t want to do this, but James is in control and he is just so angry.

“Don’t! Don’t do that, damn it!” He swung the gun wildly in his hand. “Don’t talk to me like I’m some dumb-” The gun went off and Alec jumped in surprise not having meant to shoot. He looked down at the gun in horror. There is a red stain blossoming across Magnus chest, just above his heart. The warlock toppled over the balcony and Alec ran backwards through the door and into the corridor. Barely in control, Alec makes the trek to the school music room, moving over to the records and placing one on the old player, the music is eerily familiar, _“I only have eyes for you”._ Alec raised the gun to his own head.

 

As he toppled over the balcony the part of Magnus’ mind that was still him and not Grace Newman took over breaking his fall and beginning to heal the wound in his chest. He stood and walked quickly back up the stairs following Alec’s pathway the music room. Alec stood there, gun in hand, angled at his own head. Magnus panicked and walked up to him and grabbed hold of the gun, as he did he noticed their reflection in the glass cabinet door, a pretty woman and a teenage boy he doesn’t recognise.

“Don’t do this.”

“Grace?” Alec turned to face him and they both registered that the name was wrong, foreign, but barely. “But I – I killed you”

“It’s not your fault. It was an accident,”

“It is my fault! How could I let this-”

“I’m, the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath.” Alec let out a sob tears pouring down his cheeks. “Shhh, no more tears.” Magnus kissed Alec and it was loving and tender and sweet, and the trance is broken. James and Grace are gone, have moved on and its finally just Alec and Magnus. Alec broke the kiss in shock and pushed Magnus, backing away. Magnus, shocked and confused fled the room, running from the school, only stopping several block away when the effort of healing had become too much. He slid down the nearest wall and sat trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.

 

Alec, alone and feeling worse than he had in weeks, left the school out that same front exit, barely registering that the wasps had disappeared, barely acknowledging his family and friends out the front as they barraged him with questions.

“What happened Alec?”

“We heard a gun.”

“Who else was there.” Alec ignored the questions and squeezed his parabatai’s shoulder. Jace, understanding, gave the others a look that told them to hang back and stop asking, Alec would explain later, right now, he just needed to be alone.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

Jace entered the room and sat down next to Alec, close enough that their shoulders were touching, close enough for Alec to draw strength from him if he needed to.  
“Are you feeling any better?”  
“He picked me. I guess I was the one he could relate to. He was so sad...”   
“At least they’re at rest now.”  
“I thought I was getting over it, at least a little, but, now I just don’t know.”  
“It’ll happen Alec, time heals all wounds and all that shit.”  
“Maybe…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Sorry this wasn’t up yesterday, I had a massive power outage, so you get two today instead.


	8. Hunger Games, Hobbits and Harry Potter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own The Mortal instruments, The Hunger Games, Tolkein or Harry Potter
> 
> Authors Note: I thought it was funny??

Hunger Games, Hobbits and Harry Potter

The first time it happened, Magnus brushed it off. The Hunger Games was only a fairly recent phenomenon so he wasn’t incredibly worried about the fact that Alec had not heard of Katniss Everdeen when he happened to compare their fabulous archery skills, but, he was sure to mention what a good book series it was and to subtly suggest that they watch the first film when they were cuddling on Magnus’ couch a week later. He thought Alec enjoyed it, because he didn’t fall asleep halfway through like he did during Miss Congeniality and occasionally he made a comment about Jennifer Lawrence’s archery form. He was, however, convinced Alec enjoyed it, when he visited the institute two days later and found the boy, lying lazily across the sofa in the library reading the last few chapters of Mockingjay with rapt attention. He didn’t even flinch when Magnus attempted to start a conversation, he was all but forced to magic the book onto the table and start leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses across his jaw just to get a little bit of attention.

 

The second time it happened, Magnus was a little alarmed, but also, he decided, sort of relieved, because whilst not having read and/or seen the Hobbit, or any Tolkien at all, was a huge crime against literature, being an Archer himself, Alec would be one of those people who, rather than enjoy the plot line, beauty of New Zealand (a.k.a. Middle Earth) and general cast hotness level, Alec would complain about Legolas ridiculous archery form. So Magnus thought it was best to let this one be, Simon, however, thought different because neither Isabelle, nor Jace had read or seen it either. So Simon had made sure each of them were free for the next twenty-four hours and Alec, Isabelle, Jace, Simon, Clary and Magnus had sat and watched all six films, in a row. This is what it caused;

 

“He’s not even holding it right”

“There was no way he could have made that shot!”

“Clearly he has magical arrows that find the targets for him because he doesn’t even aim!”

“This is the worst Archery I have ever seen in my life, and I once took Max to shoot plastic suction cup arrows with ten-year-old mundies”

“You cannot shoot a longbow sideways at a twenty-five degree angle”

“Alec, for god’s sake could you please just shut up! It’s a fantasy movie and he is a majestic elf with mystical powers. Please stop judging his archery and let me admire his pretty face?!” Clary finally had enough. Alec at least had the good sense to look sheepish and lean his head back against Magnus chest. (He was sitting in between the older man’s legs).

“He is kind of pretty.” He mused without really thinking. Magnus eyebrows shot up so high they probably got lost in the mass of fringe covering his forehead and he made a mental note to boil the flesh off Orlando Blooms bones in a vat of motor oil.

 

The third time it happened, Magnus literally thought he was going to die. It was like his heart had stopped. The little gang of Shadowhunters and their magnificent Warlock had all dressed up for Halloween, much to Alec’s discomfort, and Clary had shown up in some Hogwarts robes with a few patches and fixes to make it look second hand, Simon had immediately said,

“Red hair, and a hand-me-down robe, You must be a Weasley.” Naturally Alec, Isabelle and Jace had all looked at the two of them like they were speaking mermish.

“Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.” Clary said, somewhat astonished.

“What?” Alec had responded.

“Halloween is cancelled.” Magnus announced. “Clary, Simon, I don’t care what you do with your ones, but mine is not leaving this apartment until he has read all seven books, seen all seven movies and picked an OTP!” and he conjured a set of books and dvds to the coffee table, forcing the baffled Shdowhunter onto the Sofa. Clary and Simone had both dragged their other halves out of the apartment, either to go to the intended Halloween party or to watch/read Harry Potter. Almost a week later Alec returned to the institute looking, surprisingly, to be in a fairly good mood. Clary looked up from where she was sitting in the library (the other four Shadowhuters were being lectured by Mayrse for running off on a hunt without calling Alec of herself first because they were all under age and should have had an adult’s approval).

“So..?” The red-head asked.

“Romione” he said. “Reminds me of you and Jace”

“Which one of us is Ron?”

“Which one of you has the emotional range of a teaspoon?” he asked looking, making it obvious who he meant and then walking out again.

Mayrse looked confused, Isabelle slightly shocked that her brother actually knew what a joke was, Jace, possibly a little hurt and Simon and Clary, well, they couldn’t stop laughing like complete nutters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: All the Legolas criticisms are off the net, I would actually be the Clary of this situation.


	9. Illuminated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own literally nothing.
> 
> Authors Note: crossover with another fandom cause this party scene was one of my faves.

Illuminated

Alec stood beside Simon staring at the flashing lights and glowing bodies at a complete loss for words. He and Simon turned to look at each other with incredulous stares, both dragged into this by their respective partners, neither of which could be found. The had caught sight of Jace and Clary only a few minutes before, dancing together like crazy people, but Isabelle-

“Simon, Alec!” speak of the devil. Isabelle’s voice reached their ears and they turned to see her and Magnus, both covered in glowing paint.

“You two need to get painted!” Magnus exclaimed, yelling to be heard over the booming music, he grabbed Alec’s hand and dragged him over to the artist. Alec turned his head and locked eyes with Simon, silently pleading to be saved. Simon simply shrugged as if to say ‘he’s your boyfriend.’ Alec looked back towards the pain in the arse Warlock who grinned widely, pearly white teeth glowing in the black light, wondering what on earth possessed him to date this maniac.

 

They walked towards the artist surround by a multitude of glowing paint pots, Magnus excited, Alec apprehensive.

“Shirt of darling.” Magnus whispered in his ear.

“What?!”

“Someone with a physic as flawless as yours should be showing it off, so, shirt off.” Alec blushed and complied with his boyfriend’s wishes because, as Simon frequently told him, he was utterly whipped and couldn’t say no to Magnus even is he tried. The artist looked up and down his toned chest once and raised her eyebrows at Magnus, who grinned with pride, before taking out a brush and setting to work.

 

A quarter of an hour later Alec had a seemingly tribal pattern of swirls across his chest in a shade of deep blue that near perfectly matched his eyes. Magnus was smiling widely, like a little kid being given a treat. Alec shook his head at the warlock’s antics and turned back to thank the artist. That’s when he figured out how Magnus and Izzy knew about the party. A tall muscular teenager was pulling his… boyfriend? toward the artist, the lights bringing out the ice blue tint to his irises. Werewolf.  Both boys were good looking, and when the werewolf ripped of the second boy’s shirt with his bare hands, both Alec and Magnus could help glancing at his very chiselled chest and abs. Alec and Magnus turned to look at each other and both laughed out loud.

“Let’s dance.” Magnus yelled over the music and then Alec was being pulled into the crowd.

 

They had been dancing maybe half an hour or so when, as happens with most teenage parties, it was rather abruptly ended.  Alec noticed, out of the corner of his eye a very tall dark and handsome man, possibly another werewolf flipped the DJ’s music thingy (he’d have to ask Simon what it was called). The man, whose apartment this must have been, looked livid with rage and screamed at the crown of teens to “GET OUT.” There was a scramble for each of the teens to get out the door as fast as possible, and in the commotion Magnus had dragged Alec to where Jace, Clary, Isabelle and Simon where, found a secluded corner and opened a portal to his apartment in Brooklyn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Did you guess Teen Wolf?


	10. Jealous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: And once again, I own no one :(
> 
> Authors Note: Does this count as a story or an essay? It’s a very fine line I find.

Jealous

 

People always talk about whether or not someone is the ‘jealous type’, as if there are some people who get jealous just because that’s the type of person they are and others who never get jealous because, again, it’s in their nature, but Magnus has been around a long time, and he knows that everyone is capable of Jealousy, he’d seen it in so many of the men and women he’d dated, he had seen it in Alec and he knows Alec had seen it in him.

Magnus had shown off his jealousy long before he and Alec had even made their relationship official, right from the start Magnus had seen the way Alec looked at Jace, the way he loved him in a way that he, at that stage, had not loved Magnus and Magnus Bane was jealous, very jealous. But he got over it, he realised probably at the same time as Alec, that what Alec ‘felt’ for Jace wasn’t real and that had ended that.

Then there was Alec who was jealous of Camille, jealous that she knew more of Magnus than he did, jealous that she would live forever, like Magnus, unlike him, and he became touchy whenever the subject of Magnus past was approached at all, but he too moved on, realised that Magnus past was his past, and that Alec was his present and his foreseeable future.

Now the jealousy came from mostly came from Magnus, and it wasn’t strong hatred of a particular person, like it was with Jace, it was a bubbling anger that rose up whenever he saw someone so much as look at Alec, and a lot of the time Alec was thankful Magnus could be so jealous, because the attention he occasionally got from some of the characters that showed up at Magnus’ parties was definitely unwanted. Like the time that Warlock from Argentina had been visiting and was very interested in talking to Alec, apparently about Shadowhunter and Downworlder politics, but was really just talking rubbish and leaning way too far into Alec personal space and speaking with a far too sultry tone of voice. Magnus had politely, yet irritably told him to back the fudge off the first time he noticed it and Alec had escaped to go chat with Catarina Loss, a warlock he got along with much better than most, but it wasn’t long before he was accosted again. This time Magnus was really not having it because he stopped the music, flung open the door and screamed for every too get out and if they ever so much as looked at his Shadowhunter for too long from then on, he would personally see to it that they died the most painful death imaginable, and then politely thanked everyone for coming and told them they would receive word of his next party in the usual way. Needless to say, Alec has had a lot less unwanted attention since and the raging jealous monster inside Magnus Bane had been purring contently rather than roaring aggressively.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: What do you think?


	11. Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing.
> 
> Authors Note: I don’t know, it was a thought, it happened…

Kisses

 

Forehead Kisses

Dating a Shadowhunter was not easy. Magnus had known this would be the case from the start, but, that didn’t mean he had to like it. He hated being alone in the apartment with no news of Alec whilst he was out fighting demons and, for all he knew, getting his arse kicked. But every time Alec would go on a hunt, every time Magnus would pace around the apartment for hours worrying, Alec would always trudge through the door completely exhausted, shower and promptly fall asleep curled up against Magnus side. And every time it happened Magnus would place a gentle kiss on his Shadowhunter's forehead and decide that these sweet moments, when he knew that Alec would come home to him no matter what, made everything worth the worry.

 

Good Morning Kisses

Waking up next to Magnus for the first time had Alec a little freaked out, because he hadn't meant to fall asleep in the Warlocks apartment and he was sure his Mother would definitely have noticed his absence, which would cause all kinds of problems because he was definitely not going to have that talk with his mother, ever. So Yes, the first time Alec woke up half on top of his boyfriend, legs tangled together under the canary yellow comforter, he freaked out. He desperately tried to disentangle himself without waking Magnus (Which was very hard), and failed, and Magnus blinked at him sleepily and smiled showing of every single one of those pearly white teeth, then leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Alec's lips

"Morning" he whispered, still smiling, and Alec stopped worrying about what everyone would think when he walked back into the Institute several hours later, stopped caring about the inevitable chat he would have with his overbearing mother, because he liked good morning kisses far too much to worry at all.

 

Underwater Kisses

“Let’s go camping” Clary said. “Camping’s fun” Clary said. Camping was not fun! Magnus was dirty and sweaty, his hair was limp and lifeless and there was not a spec of glitter to be found. After three days of magic-ing himself to perfection, he was too exhausted to keep doing it and he still had 2 days to go! He was, in his expert opinion, a complete disgrace. Not so many years ago ‘roughing it’ would not have bothered him, but he was sharing a tent with his gorgeous Shadowhunter who apparently repelled dirt (so apparently, did Jace, Isabelle and Clary). So Alec, the love of his life, was stuck in the presence of a thoroughly disgusting Magnus, and any reasonable person would tell you, that looking anything other than immaculate in front of your other half, especially when the relationship is just finding his feet again, is a nightmare!

“Magnus, you have seen me come home covered from head to toe in demon blood and ichor, smelling like a dead animal and ruining the carpet… I think you’re fine.”

“Yes but you’re out being my brave little superhero. This is camping!”

“Clearly nothing I can say is going to make you feel better.” Magnus made a face, signalling his agreement. “But, Clary found a lake we could swim in and you should come.” Magnus made another stubborn face, but seeing Alec’s very cute attempt at a puppy dog face (he would kill Clary for teaching him that) he agreed anyway. If Magnus was honest with himself the lake wasn’t all that bad. Actually it was rather refreshing, the only thing to ruin being his own foolish attempt at cute cheesy teen romance, because, and he will make certain the world is aware of this, Underwater Kisses are not cute at all, there’s awkward flailing legs (the need to tread water), slippery lips, lack of oxygen, spluttering… it’s just ridiculous!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: and there you have it.


	12. Little Ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own a single thing
> 
> Authors Note: Malec babies :), I imagine them both to be very cute.

Little Ones

 

The first one was a surprise, a Shadowhunter couple in Cardiff had been killed on a hunt and left a three-year-old daughter, with no one to look after them and Consul Jia Penhallow had asked if Alec and Magnus wanted to adopt a child. Magnus, who had been worried about raising a child amongst the stigma that still surrounded his and Magnus’ relationship, had melted as soon as he saw the beautiful little girl. And yes, a fair few Shadowhunters had a few things to say about it, but, to everyone’s astonishment, Robert Lightwood had stamped down all negative comments with a tone so final that it was never spoken of again, at least not in the presence of any of the Lightwoods.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

The second one was planned, because almost a year after adopting Grace both of her fathers had decided that she needed sibling and Magnus’ good friend Catarina Loss had come to their door with a little warlock boy, born only a few days ago and unwanted by a mortal mother who took one look at the faint purple hue to his skin and ran the other way. The child was lucky Catarina worked in the hospital and that Alec and Magnus had been looking to adopt. Magnus, being a warlock himself, had no qualms about adopting the boy and turned to Alec for his opinion, but, Alec wasn’t even paying attention because the baby had woken up and was grabbing hold of his fingers in its chubby little fist, and he was in love, mush the way it had happened with Grace.

“I’ll think we’re adopting.” Magnus said watching his husband. Alec finally looked up.

“Yeah.” He smiled. Catarina handed the two men a bunch of documents and explained the whole procedure to make the adoption legit with the Mundie, and then;

“All you need now is a name for him.”

“oh, ummm….” Alec began, looking at his husband for ideas.

“Max.” Magnus said with finality, then stuttered a little. “I mean, if you’re okay with that, I just thought-“

“It’s perfect.” Alec kissed his husband and Caterina filled in the name. The two signed the documents and Caterina left them with child number two.

 

TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI-TMI

 

In the years that followed the Lightwood family expanded and grew with more and more little ones running round and at Christmas 2025 the Institute was full of the sound of children’s laughter as they scrambled to open presents and test out all their new stuff. With the addition of Clary’s little brother, Grace and Max, Clary and Jace’s three and Simon and Izzy’s twins, the Lightwood clan had grown from this small tight knit unit into, what Simon liked to call, a moderate army. Mayrse, Robert, Jocelyn, Luke and even Simon’s mother all doted on their Grandchildren and everything was kind-of perfect, at least, when you ignored the hordes of demons they faced every other day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: I picked the name Grace of the family tree in the back of Clockwork Princess by the way.


	13. Mortal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Still don’t own it :(
> 
> Authors Note: I know this one is really really short, kind of more like a drabble, but, what do you do?

Mortal

 

Magnus and Alec had put the issue of Alec’s mortality behind them a long time ago, but every now and then it crept up on them, eating at their peace of mind and creating unease. Now was such a time. Alec, Jace, Isabelle, Clary and Simon had gone on, what they believed would be, a routine demon hunt, only to find themselves face to face with a greater demon, and this one was made of a lot stronger stuff than old Abbadon. The six of them had fought valiantly and vanquished a demon that would have killed many lesser Shadowhunters, but, it was not without injury. The night they returned saw many steles drawing many iratze’s and Magnus healing a number of the nastier injuries, meanwhile the six Shadowhunters were completely exhausted and about ready to fall asleep standing up. So later that night, watching their two little angels curled up against their daddy’s chest as he slept off the overwhelming exhaustion, Magnus wondered if maybe Alec’s mortality really wasn’t something he could handle at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: and done :)


	14. Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I’ve tried to own TMI, it didn’t work
> 
> Authors note: don’t really have anything to say here.

Nights

Nights were rather difficult things for Alec and Magnus, throughout their entire relationship. At first they were a symbol of Alec’s shame, Alec would only ever come to Magnus when he could sneak out at night without anybody knowing he was gone, and Magnus accepted that Alec needed time to accept who he was and be comfortable with himself before letting anyone else in, but as the weeks dragged on Magnus became annoyed and tired with feeling like the Shadowhunter called him only when he needed him to do some kind of favour for his little Nephilim friends, and he became aware that Alec’s infatuation with his parabatai was not something he was getting over and he was jealous and it infuriated him.

 

Then came that kiss, right in the middle of the Hall od Accords and things changed. Alec was less ashamed of who he was and nights stop being times when he was sneaking out and became the time he would cuddle up to Magnus and just pour out his feelings about, well, everything. Magnus loved the nights when his Nephilim would show up out of the blue and curl up against him on the loveseat or beneath his canary yellow comforter and just let out everything he was feeling, about his father, about members of the clave, about Max, just everything. These were the nights Magnus loved.

 

After the break-up nights were unbearable. Both Magnus and Alec would remember the nights were they would lie together, curled up under the comforter and they missed just being able to hold each other. These were the nights when Alec would call Magnus’ number only to hang up and berate himself for it afterwards, they were the nights Magnus would hold Chairman Meow to his chest and just let everything out. Both Alec and Magnus would tell you that no matter what happened, these were the worst nights.

 

After Edom nights became riddled with Nightmares on both sides. One of them would wake from a violent nightmare only to find the other holding them tightly and soothing away the inner demons that just seemed so relentless these days. The nightmares were terrifying and devastating and neither of them ever really wanted to relive them enough to tell the other about them, but they still found comfort in knowing that the other would be there waiting when the darkness came.

 

These days Nights were very different.

 

Alec had been flitting in and out of a dreamless sleep for several hours now, whilst his husband slept soundly beside him exhausted after a tyring day taking Grace, Max and their nieces and nephews out, so that Jace, Alec, Isabelle, Clary and Simon could finally have some time to just spar like they used to before the kids came along. Alec gave up on sleep around 4am, instead just watching the steady rise and fall of his husbands chest as he slept, feeling comforted by it, (it had taken him a while to understand why Magnus found it so comforting when they first started dating, but after what they’d been through, he too found comfort in knowing that his love was still breathing steady), when he felt a tug on their comforter and looked down to find Grace, who was now 11 and on the verge of receiving her first rune, standing there looking slightly terrified. Alec sat up and pulled his little girl onto his lap wrapping his arms around her.

“Hey baby girl, is something wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

“No, I- Daddy I’m scared. What if we go to the ceremony and they tell me I’m not good enough to be a shadowhunter?”

“You, my dear, are one of the toughest little 11 year olds I have ever seen and if those silent brothers tell you you’re not good enough then I don’t think anybody will be. You are strong and brave and have the kindest heart of anyone I know. You have nothing to worry about.”

“But just say, just say I’m not good enough, will you and Papa be upset?”

“Not one little bit sweetie. You’re our baby girl and we’ll always love you, and you’re brother, no matter what.”

“I love you, daddy.”

“I love you to baby girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: I’m actually quite happy with this :)


	15. One Good Reason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I think it’s been well established that I own nothing.
> 
> Authors Note: I feel like at the end of Heavenly Fire we got to see a very, sort-of, relationship mature less self-conscious side of Alec that I wanted to explore.

One Good Reason

 

“I need to get out of here.” Alec moved towards the front door grabbing his phone and keys as he did so, Magnus stood on the other side of the room, eyes full of tears.

“Baby, I didn’t mean it.” Which was true. He really didn’t mean it. It was just one of those things that slipped out in a moment of anger that had flared in their argument, but it was one slip to many for Alec. They weren’t even fighting about anything major, just some stupid thing that neither could actually remember now, but, it had escalated, again. Magnus and Alec were still working on their relationship, they’d only been back together for a few months and right now every single fight, no matter how small or trivial was brought back to Alec and Camille. Alec had accepted a long time ago that he was wrong in what he did then, but how were he and Magnus supposed to move past it if Magnus kept bringing it up again and again, this time was just one to many and he needed to get out.

“If you didn’t mean it you wouldn’t throw it back in my face all the time Magnus.” He said calmly, opening the door.

“I know. I know I shouldn’t and I am trying to get over it, trying to move on and it’s taking some time, just please don’t go.”

“Magnus, if you need time to get over it take it, I’ll be at the institute when you’re ready.”

“Don’t leave. Alec please don’t go.”

“Give me one reason Magnus, because right now, this, trying to pick up where we left of like nothing happened isn’t working. I can pretend I didn’t make the decisions I made, we can’t pretend it didn’t happen, all it does is make us fight and we both get hurt in the process and one day you’re going to throw it at me again and that day I’ll have had enough and I’ll leave Magnus and no matter how much it hurts, I won’t come back because staying hurts just as much. So give me one good reason to stay.”

“Because I love you, and I know you love me and we can make it work Alec, we just need time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Feel free to leave your thoughts. I am struggling with letters, so the rest of the alphabet is unlikely to be posted in order. Feel free to leave suggestions for letters I have missed.


End file.
